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Wide distribution of the serum dehydroepiandrosterone and sex steroid levels in postmenopausal women: role of the ovary?
Abstract
In Brief Objective: Because the exclusive source of sex steroids (at least estrogens) after menopause is recognized to be dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), this study examines the interindividual variability of serum DHEA and its metabolites as well as the contribution of the ovary to global sex steroid physiology in postmenopausal women. Methods: Serum levels of DHEA and 11 of its metabolites were measured by gas or liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in 442 intact and 71 ovariectomized postmenopausal women aged 42 to 74 years. Results: With a mean ± SD concentration of 2.03 ± 1.33 ng/mL, serum DHEA in intact postmenopausal women is highly variable with 5th and 95th centiles at 0.55 and 4.34 ng/mL, respectively, for a 7.9-fold difference. A comparable variability is observed for the 11 metabolites of DHEA. The 22.3% higher serum DHEA in intact compared with ovariectomized women is accompanied by parallel differences for all the other steroids, thus indicating that all sex steroids originate from circulating DHEA in postmenopausal women with no direct secretion of active estrogens or androgens by the postmenopausal ovary. Conclusions: The 7.9-fold difference between low and high serum DHEA levels provides an explanation for the lack of signs of hormone deficiency in some women, whereas most of them have symptoms or signs. The approximately 20% contribution of the ovary to the total pool of DHEA with no direct secretion of estrogens or androgens in the circulation could possibly explain the reported negative effect of oophorectomy on longevity, especially from coronary heart disease events. Measurement of 11 metabolites of dehydroepiandrosterone in intact and oophorectomized women further indicates that the postmenopausal ovary does not secrete significant amounts of estradiol or testosterone but that it secretes about 20% of total circulating dehydroepiandrosterone, with 80% being of adrenal origin in that age group.
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“Nonetheless, 80% of the circulating DHEA in postmenopausal women is of adrenal origin with the remainder produced by the ovary (Labrie et al., 2011).”
From Intracrine androgen biosynthesis, metabolism and action revisited (2018) · cites this paper as Labrie et al., 2011
In the citing paper
“While ovarian steroidogenesis demonstrates a menstrual cycle-dependent profile in premenopausal women (Barbieri, 2014), the absence of ovarian follicles in the postmenopausal ovary significantly reduces the production of oestrogens (Labrie et al., 2011).”
From Intracrine androgen biosynthesis, metabolism and action revisited (2018) · cites this paper as Labrie et al., 2011
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Metadata
- Authors
- Labrie, F., Martel, C., & Balser, J.
- Affiliations
- Université Laval (CA)
- Québec-Océan (CA)
- Veristat, LLC (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Labrie, Fernand
- Venue
- Menopause
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 30-43
- ISSN
- 1072-3714 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1977760592
- Cited by
- 143
- References
- 81
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 8.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Menopause The Journal of The North American Menopause Society (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Keywords
- dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA metabolites, postmenopausal women, sex steroids, interindividual variability, ovariectomy, ovarian steroidogenesis, estradiol, testosterone, menopause, coronary artery disease, longevity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Androstenedione, Androsterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone, Estradiol, Estrone, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Ovariectomy, Ovary, Dihydrotestosterone, Testosterone, Androstane-3,17-diol, Androstenediol, Postmenopause, Statistics, Nonparametric, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
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